A list of the 10 most endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales has been published by the Victorian Society today (October 12 2009).

The hotlist has been drawn up following a national appeal to find the nation's best and most at-risk building. Votes flooded in from conservationists, campaigners and members of the public.

This year’s top ten are Oldham Town Hall in Oldham; the Defensible Barracks in Pembroke Dock, Wales; St Edmund’s Church in Rochdale, Manchester; chapels at Pudsey Cemetery in Leeds; the former St Mark's Infants School in Battersea, London; St Ignatius of Antioch Church in Ordsall in Salford; Nocton Hall in Nocton, Lincolnshire; the Trimley Station Building in Trimley, Suffolk; The Waterloo Hotel and Grill in Smethwick, West Midlands and the Moseley Road Baths in Balsall Heath, Birmingham.

Nocton Hall. Courtesy The Victorian Society

"We have been amazed by the response from the public," said Dr Ian Dungavell, Director of the Victorian Society.

"People clearly feel very strongly about beautiful, robust buildings being left to decay. Many of the buildings have been empty for more than a decade and are in a very poor state."

"Even in the current economic climate money must be found to weather-proof these buildings and protect them from vandals. Future generations won't forgive us for leaving our heritage to deteriorate beyond repair."

Defensible Barracks in Pembroke Dock. Courtesy The Victorian Society

The nature of the risk required to ensure eligibility for the list varies considerably. Buildings in this year's list may face demolition or closure, but for most it is years of neglect which threaten their future.

Previous nominees have benifitted from appearing on the list. The chapels at Cathays Cemetery in Cardiff have been completely re-roofed, a Swedish Church in Liverpool has had its listing upgraded to II* and Stonebridge School, in Brent, has recently been listed as Grade II.